Mexico shouldn’t replace suspended five

As if CONCACAF and FIFA didn’t already have enough credibility problems.

Heck, one would argue that CONCACAF and FIFA don’t have enough credibility to even have credibility problems.

Whatever the case, Mexico began the 2011 Gold Cup tournament with a 23-man roster. It lost one player, Ricardo Osorio, because of illness ahead of the Gold Cup opener. Then it had five players – Guillermo Ochoa, Francisco “Maza” Rodriguez, Edgar Duenas, Christian Bermudez and Antonio Naelson – suspended before the second game because of doping.

With FIFA’s approval, CONCACAF decided late Sunday night to let Mexico replace its five suspended, and Mexico has decided to accept the opportunity. It’s bad enough Mexico didn’t have to forfeit the opener it won with a dirty player. Three of the replacements are expected in Houston today.

First of all, Mexico doesn’t need the replacements. El Tri has been nothing short of amazing at the Gold Cup, rolling through Cuba, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala. Granted, that’s not exactly Spain, Brazil and the Netherlands. Heck, it’s not even England or Ghana.

Honduras, which qualified for the 2010 World Cup, is up next for El Tri. The U.S. will face Panama in a rematch that Landon Donovan and Co. should dominate.

Javier “El Chicharito” Hernandez, who has scored a Gold Cup-high six goals, has been the tournament MVP so far although Andres Guardado and Giovani Dos Santos have been just as impressive at times.

If the U.S. and Mexico meet in the final, as most observers expect, Mexico would likely be favored. But a title for El Tri would be tainted if they use any replacement players Wednesday night or in the finals.

With only 17 players, Mexico has been the class of the Gold Cup. Hopefully, they’ll show some class and not use any of the replacement players.

Speaking of the U.S., how about those U-17 Americans making some noise in Mexico at the U-17 World Cup.

Alejandro Guido and Esteban Rodriguez, two Mexican Americans with parents from Mexico, scored as the U.S. opened the U-17 World Cup with a 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic.

“It’s a very important result for us because it’s our first game of the tournament and against a great European team in Mexico,” U.S. head coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “It’s very positive for the kids. They were nervous like every kid, for sure. They played the game, made themselves feel comfortable, and got the result by playing well. That’s important and that’s going to give us confidence to continue improving throughout the tournament. The Czech Republic is a great team and that’s why we played the game very seriously, very hard. We never tried to change our script.”

6 Responses

Your dumb! They got suspended because they ate bad meat while training in Mexico. There is a serious problem right now in many states in Mexico because of bad meat. Even the government admitted it.
If they did use one of the replacement player(which they wont becuase they dont need them) it wouldnt be tainted. But you can think whatever you want to think. Your just mad cause they killed Costa Rica so easily. lol

Mexico could have beat El Salvador with their U-17 squad, I have no idea why the drama, it’s not as if El Salvador had Mexico’s number up until this point. This is a non-issue, and Salvadorians want to make a big deal out of it because well, they’re sore losers.

So what if they have Mexican parents? They’re are not mexican american if they were born here, they are Americans. Whether their last name was Rodriguez, Smith, Chung, or Chakamanka, they are Americans and no one cares where their parents are from as long as they represent the Red White and Blue.

Granted, that’s not exactly Spain, Brazil and the Netherlands. Heck, it’s not even England or Ghana.
..<<< they are doing what is expected against the low caliber oposition-run over them, no need to tell the other readers they are not spain, etc..I think the ones reading the article clearly understand that. As far as replacing the players, Mexico had no need to replace them and I still see them lifting that cup against USA if Usa can clear out Panama.